Just Another Day in Paradise

Sunset over Antigonish

Last night was one of those perfect summer evenings. We spent the night in Antigonish, NS, marking a return visit for us. The last time we were here, the weather was cold and windy, but this time we were treated to a spectacular summer night. We enjoyed a couple of beers on the rooftop of an old historic building, where we could take in stunning views of the entire town and St. Francis Xavier University. The evening on the rooftop will certainly be one of the many special memories from this tour.

This morning, we woke up to another gorgeous day. We knew we had a challenging 58-mile ride ahead of us, cutting across the mainland of Nova Scotia to the Atlantic Ocean coastline. We anticipated a tough, grinding ride, but it turned out to be another surprisingly magnificent journey. This entire bike tour, starting from Montreal, has exceeded our expectations. Each time we think it can't get any better, it does! Today, we experienced a pristine countryside ride that took us past freshwater lakes, streams, and quaint villages, leading us to a remote ocean inlet lodge on the east coast of Nova Scotia. The lodge, like today's ride, feels like a wonderfully sweet slice of paradise.

Looking at our last 200 km.

Tomorrow, we'll continue down Highway 7, the remote east coast highway that will take us to Halifax. We have only two more small-town stops before the tour concludes, and I must admit, I'm feeling a bit sad that it’s coming to an end. I have never encountered so much beauty, nature, and human authenticity as I have on this ride, and I will truly miss this very special part of the world. The good news is that we have three more rides left until it ends, and I will savor each and every pedal stroke as we ride toward Halifax.